Community

REISA’s Economic Development Programme is focused on empowering and strengthening the local communities in and around the Gamagara area in the Northern Cape.

The aim is to empower and build capacity of targeted communities through the funding of various socio-economic development and enterprise development programmes that positively address local skills gaps and needs, and to empower the communities to be economically independent and take ownership of their future.

The approach is holistic and is characterised by continuous engagement, the sharing of knowledge and experiences, and a focus on relevance and practicality of projects supported. All of REISA’s local economic development programmes are results and impact-driven; designed to be sustainable and make a lasting difference in communities within which the company operates.

Education

REISA’s education development programmes include funding of Early Childhood Development (ECD) initiatives, provision of psycho-social support services, leadership development, scholarships and school infrastructure.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT CENTRES

REISA wants to positively impact the provision of quality childcare and education for children aged 0 – 6 years. The ECD Flagship Project aims to improve the overall competency, functionality and resourcing of ECD centres in the Gamagara area.

REISA’s Early Childhood Development Flagship Project adopts a phased approach. Phase 1 focuses on upskilling practitioners with NQF Level 4 and 5 qualifications, Phase 2 includes a comprehensive baseline assessment of all 11 ECD centres in the area in order to implement interventions on governance, financial management, parental involvement, and food security.

This also includes the innovative Parental Involvement Programme, which incorporates two key initiatives namely, Bringing Parents to the Education Table and Mentor Moms. This programme has ensured access for children and parents to ECD Services where previously, there were none.

Targeting 200 parents in the region, a series of “Bringing Parents to the Education Table” workshops have helped parents focus on their roles and responsibilities in their children’s education, as well as empowering parents with knowledge and skills to support their children’s education and development at home.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS

REISA responds to the needs of the local primary and secondary schools in the Gamagara area, from building and renovations of school facilities, to funding of educator salaries and vital equipment and resources.

Since 2014 REISA has provided funding to:

Sishen Intermediate Mine School

Maikaelelo Primary School

Deben Primary School

Gamagara High School

Noord-Kaap Primary School

Langberg High School

NOORD-KAAP PRIMARY SCHOOL

The Construction of the Noord-Kaap Primary School ECD classrooms in Olifantshoek aims to improve the quality of childcare and education in the Gamagara region. The two new classrooms were built to address overcrowding of ECD learners in the area while creating an enabling an environment for children to access early childhood education and resources. This project was implemented in partnership with the Department of Education.

UBUNTU SCHOOL PROJECT

This multifaceted flagship project promotes social cohesion, to facilitate a practice of peer learning, sharing of good practices and facilities between the schools.

The Ubuntu School Project involves five schools that participated in the Energy for Learning Workshop.

Learners, teachers, SGB members, parents and the principals of Dibeng Primary School, Sishen Intermediate Mine School, Maikaelelo Primary School, Gamagara High School as well as Langberg High School participated in the Baseline Assessment.

The overall objectives of the project are to:

Improve the functionality of schools

SGB Governance

Strong leadership

Parental involvement

Learner and Teacher discipline

Share good practices and facilities

Provision of psycho-social support services to schools by appointing a full-time social worker to service Learners, Teachers and Parents

Learner Interventions Include:

The Wellness Relay: Aims to identifying barriers to learning and then implementing the necessary interventions to ensure learners can overcome them, whilst supporting parents and educators. These barriers relate to hearing, sight, language and anxiety, amongst other key areas.

The Girl Effect is a personal development programme that strives to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls by providing equal access to education and thereby helping to level the playing field. This Project is in line with REISA’s Strategy, responding to a number of Sustainable Development Goals, namely good health and well-being, quality education and gender equality.

SCHOLARSHIPS

The REISA Scholarship Fund provides tertiary education funding for youth living within a 50km radius of the solar farm. The focus is to contribute towards human resource development in fields considered critical for the South African economy. Study fields include Teaching, Engineering, Natural and Social Sciences, Environment and Nursing.

Grade 11 and Grade 12 learners from Kathu, Olifantshoek, Dibeng, Siyathemba, Babatas and Mapoteng, have the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

Infrastructure

Development of social infrastructure to improve the quality of life of residents within targeted communities. Three of the key programmes funded by REISA since 2016 are:

The Deben Solar Street Light Project

The Olifantshoek Solar Street Light Project

The Mapoteng Home Improvement Project Feasibility Study

REISA’s Solar Street Lights Projects aimed to improve community safety and security, whilst taking advantage of environmentally friendly technology by opting for renewable solar energy. Once installed the running costs are zero and maintenance is minimal. Benefits include: Improved night-time safety and improved community cohesion. Both street light projects were implemented in partnership with the Gamagara Local Municipality who is now responsible for the maintenance of these in both Deben and Olifantshoek.

The Mapoteng Home Improvement Project Feasibility Study was initiated in 2018 when the community enquired about the provision of solar panels for their homes. This was a request to assist them in reducing the exorbitant electricity costs. REISA responded by introducing a feasibility study of 5 RDP homes. The aim of the feasibility study is to improve the energy efficiency of the identified home by installing solar water geysers, insulated ceilings and electrical reticulation and to determine the budget required for implementing the Project for all the identified homes. A decision on the implementation of the full Project will be taken in 2020/2021.

WELFARE

The provision of social support services and the care for vulnerable and elderly people.
Since 2014 REISA has provided funding to:

FAMSA

Kopenang Golden Games

Widows’ Kitchen

Enterprise Development

REISA’s enterprise development programme includes funding of the Incubation Programme, financing for local start-up businesses and business development and mentoring.

This programme supports enterprises with feasible business ideas and or plans across industries and sectors. Generally, the needs of business enterprises are for start–up capital, bridging finance, business coaching and mentoring and leadership development.

Intended outcomes are to accelerate the growth and success of entrepreneurial companies through an array of business support resources and services including mentorship and coaching and networking connections. Ultimately stimulating the local economic growth and to create opportunities for the economic participation of previously disadvantaged groups.

Between 2014 and 2020, twenty-four enterprises have benefited from the enterprise development grant funding programme.

The programme has helped to develop more than 20 SMMEs injecting capital for expansion, operational and management skills, equipment towards improving their financial and operational efficiency

At above average, each of the supported SMMEs created at least a new job and sustained existing jobs and are self-sustaining

Most have been able to access new opportunities and diversify services